Nissan Experiments with Allowing Visitors to Pay for Parking with Electricity
Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be more reasons to visit Japan, Nissan goes and drops details on their new Nissan Pavilion exhibition in Yokohama. The 10,000 square-meter facility showcases the possibilities of the company’s electric offerings, and has a very intriguing zero-emissions operation.
Not only does the pavilion have solar and hydroelectric power, but it also allows visitors to plug in their Nissan Leaf EVs, and pay for their parking by utilizing vehicle-to-grid technology. The juice stored in their cars will flow into the pavilion, powering the center and paying for their spot in the lot.
Even funner, Nissan has a Formula E virtual racing experience, an off-grid Chaya Cafe, and test drives of the new Ariya Crossover EV.
The Pavilion is a place where customers can see, feel, and be inspired by our near-future vision for society and mobility. As the world shifts to electric mobility, EVs will be integrated into society in ways that go beyond just transportation. – Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida
Vehicle-to-grid technology is one of the most exciting frontiers of electric vehicles and sustainability. Nissan has led the pack in terms of implementation. Their Nissan Leaf has been in production for the last decade, and supports V2G via the CHAdeMO charging standard.
Although the US is behind in the technology, Tesla vehicles have been rumored to support vehicle-to-grid in their hardware, but it’s not been confirmed. Nissan, on the other hand, sees the tech as a way to help during natural disasters, as well as a convenient way to supply power for financial gains.
FCA actually also has a foot in the door of V2G, with a large installation in Italy meant to charge cars off of solar and batteries, while drawing power at points to act as a virtual peek power plant.